Organisational Culture : Apple

Apple Case Study The role of a successful leader in organisational change cannot be overestimated. Organisational culture is significant for each organisation and its successful operation, playing large role in whether or not a particular organisation has a happy, healthy and comfortable working environment. Organisational culture at any company has to be strong and well-established but able to be changed as well. So, in order to establish, maintain and improve the company’s culture timely a recognised leader has to be in the head. The case study of Apple Inc. is a bright example of the great shift in the corporate culture and business success due to one leader who was able to implement the innovative image that totally changed the company.

History of the Company

Apple computer was founded on April 1, 1976 by Steve Jobs, Steve Wozniak and Ronald Wayne (O'Grady, 2009, 26) with the aim of selling personal computers. Incorporation of the company happened in 1977 when Wayne sold his shares to co-founders. The vision of the founders towards their company was to bring people affordable personal computers. Starting with only a few people the founders tended to hire people that would share their visions. The first launches made by company were successful and Apple was developing, but the organisational culture could not be supposed as totally successful. Apple suffered from numerous misunderstandings over the production development, for example between Apple Lisa and Macintosh, involving Steve Jobs. Finally, Jobs had a big struggle with John Sculley, who was a CEO, hired two years before; the board of directors did not vote for Jobs, he was deprived of management part, and willingly left the company in 1985. The fact that he was one of the primary co-founders of the company was strangely not in his favour. However, decision taken by the board was not perceived by Steve Jobs as a failure as he founded NextStep Computers and continued successful...